Hustlin' like a Mother - Kiwi-Style

Extra Income Ideas

Need to make extra money? I get it. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how good you are at budgeting if there isn’t enough to go around you can find yourself scrambling to pay your bills.

Beautiful Aotearoa is a great place to live, but that lifestyle comes with a price. Lots of us have to work multiple jobs to keep our heads above water – or just to save for a rainy day.

13 Ways to Make Extra Money in New Zealand

This list of extra income ideas includes some quick money making ideas for when you need cash now, as well as more long-term extra cash opportunities – things that have the potential to turn into a lucrative side hustle.

1. Take polls and battles with Toluna

Toluna is a fun way to earn some extra cash for Kiwis. You can take polls and battles with other members on their platform.

Toluna also offers traditional online surveys. They offer cash rewards via Paypal or there are loads of vouchers you can choose from.

3. Learn how to pour a pint

If you’re in a big city or a regional area that hosts lots of events, you might be able to find casual jobs for catering assistants and waiters. This kind of work is usually weekends and evenings which makes it the perfect side hustle.

4. Juice those Limes

Are Lime scooters in your city yet? They are super popular here in Christchurch and there’s a way for you to capitalise on that popularity.

Electric scooters need electricity (duh!) and Lime will pay you to charge (or juice as they like to call it) their scooters and return them to a designated area ready for use.

There’s a bit involved and like any money making opportunity you need to weigh up whether the effort is worth your time. This article is a great read if you’re interested.

5. Become a virtual assistant

Working from home as a virtual assistant is a great side hustle for administrators, personal assistants and executive assistants. All you need is your existing skill base, a computer and internet connection.

I actually worked in this manner after my son was born, and the gig continued after we left New Zealand to go travelling.

I was earning Australian dollars (the job was with my former Australian employer) and spending Mexican pesos which gave me a taste of geographic arbitrage – which basically meant that my family and I could live like kings on the 20 hours a week of remote work I was putting in.

6. Mow your neighbour’s lawns

If you’ve got a lawnmower and some time on your hands, you could make extra money mowing lawns.

Print up some flyers and do a letterbox drop in your neighbourhood. Unless you have a ute/large car, it’s best to stick to places you can walk your mower to.

Most residents will be happy for you to leave the grass clippings in their green waste bin, but check this with them as disposing of grass clippings will require you to have transport and get it to the dump.

7. Data entry

Data entry work consists of repetitive typing and requires extreme accuracy. It’s also frequently available at nights and weekends.

Data entry jobs can be found in loads of industries. You’ll no doubt find hundreds of opportunities on Seek.

8. Work retail in the weekends

Retail work is the ideal way to make extra money and a perfect side job.

I worked at a huge retailer every weekend and a couple of late nights after my corporate gig was finished for the day when I was hustling hard to save cash and pay back my credit card.

It was hard, sure, but the extra money was sweet and working my butt off meant I wasn’t out partying or shopping.

Weekend retail jobs are also a great way to meet fellow side hustlers. I made loads of new friends who were also working full-time day jobs and using their side income to pay for things like travel or getting out of debt.

9. Teach online

Teaching English online is a relatively new field for Kiwis. That’s because a lot of countries prefer American English speakers, but a new company called SayABC are open to hiring Kiwis with the right experience and qualifications.

You can earn up to $21USD per 40-minute lesson and work as much as suits you.

During the week, lessons are mainly at night so you’ll need to be a night owl for this side hustle. On the weekend lessons run all day long so you can really make a lot of extra cash on top of your Monday-Friday gig if you hustle hard.

You’ll need to be a native English speaker with a bachelor’s degree in any field and some teaching experience.

12. Rent out your car

If you’re anything like me, your car sits unused in your driveway for long periods of time (now more so as I bike to school with the kids and work from home).

If you can part with your car for some time, you can earn extra money by renting it out.

With Yourdrive, you are paid 60% of the total rental fee when you rent out your car. A quick play on their calculator shows that a car with a value of $5,000, rented for 20 days a month can make around $225 a month.

That’s not huge money, but if you need extra cash it’s certainly better than a car sitting in a driveway all day. Insurance and all other related costs are covered by Yourdrive. Check them out here

13. Become a Mystery Shopper

Love shopping? Well, have I got the perfect extra income idea for you.

Mystery shoppers are paid to attend shops and restaurants and report back on their experience. You are usually paid for your time and given vouchers to spend or reimbursed for any expenses you incur.

Side hustle #2: Remote admin work

The skills I learnt in my office job can be applied from anywhere and I was able to convince my boss to give me casual admin work from home.

The jobs aren’t especially frequent, but I get a higher hourly rate and can claim part of my home office as an expense (check with the IRD to make sure you are claiming the right stuff).

I am set up as a sole trader and send invoices when the work is done.

I really loved doing this kind of work and think it’s the perfect side gig for mums.

When looking at ways for stay at home mums to make money you should consider the work you’ve done previously and if it can be done remotely.

Most bosses are much happier to hire an employee they know and trust for remote work so it can be a win-win.

This was my highest paying side hustle for years and I earnt between $500-$1000/month.

Side hustle #3 Focus groups

Focus groups are another easy way for mums to make extra cash.

The best thing is they are often run in the early evening so I feel like I get a bit of a night out (is that sad?!?! – haha) while getting paid and eating their food (a lot of the focus groups are catered) and don’t have to worry about babysitting because their dad is home from work.

I earn anything from $80 to $150 a month from focus groups. I’m registered with almost every panel in my city.

Side hustle #5 Blogging

Blogging is how I make the bulk of my income these days. I started a blog back when I was doing remote admin work and making most of my income from that.

As my blog income grew, I scaled back on the admin work and focussed on growing my online businesses. I now run three blogs (this one included) and make between $5 and $7k a month from all my sites.

Blogging is something I’m really passionate about as it’s given me the option of not needing to go back to work, and if my income keeps growing, my husband will be able to give up his job and help me in the business.

I’ll be writing more about how I blog for income soon, as I really think it’s a great way for Kiwis to earn more money – and that money is usually US dollar, so it’s extra sweet!

Like it? Pin it for later! If you’re on Pinterest, be sure to follow me here for more ideas on making and saving money.

One of the main reasons I started this blog was because I am constantly asked what I do for a living and how to make money online. In typical Kiwi fashion I completely downplay what I do and can’t really explain it to most people.

It’s pretty hard to fathom that an ordinary mum could be making a full-time living, working from home in school hours only. But I do!

So I thought if I wrote an article about all the ways to make money online, NZ friends and family might finally understand what I do – and it will benefit my readers too.

If working online interests you – there are so many opportunities. There has never been an easier time to earn money online from New Zealand. With the rise in fibre broadband installations across the country, we now have a world-class broadband service making internet access faster and easier than ever before.

You might be wondering what’s the best money making online business you can start. And rightly so – now is the time.

Amazon has just opened in Australia bringing entirely new opportunities (and challenges) to those currently in retail businesses, or those wanting to work from home.

Note: Just because you’re in New Zealand, doesn’t mean you have to restrict yourself to customers here. In fact, I recommend you don’t.

We are a very small country, and depending on the type of business you offer, you might have more success in targeting customers in Australia, the United Kingdom or even the United States.

Over half my income comes from the United States, even though I live in New Zealand.

*This post contains affiliate links*

15 Ways to Make Money Online – NZ Edition!

Since my entire income for the last two years is from making money online from New Zealand, I wanted to give you a helpful list of ways to make money online (and from home) from Aotearoa.

1. Take Paid Surveys

Taking surveys for money is an excellent boost to your online income. You can easily earn over $200 per month if you sign up for multiple NZ survey companies.

If you want to make money from paid surveys, I recommend you join all three to maximise your chances of always having a survey available.

I have written a more in-depth review of some of the best-paid surveys NZ has to offer here.

2. Share your online activity

Nielsen Digital Voice rewards you for sharing your online activity. The simplest of extra income ideas, Nielsen Digital Voice requires you to install a secure piece of software on your computer.

Nielsen states the software will not slow down your computer or impact performance in any other ways. Online surveys and other earning opportunities will then appear on your computer as pop-ups as they come available.

You must be the owner of any computer you install the software on and over 18 years of age to participate.Join Nielsen Digital Voice today.

3. Scan your groceries

Did you know Neilsen Homescanrewards you for scanning the barcodes of your groceries? This is an easy way to earn vouchers, redeem for items and win prizes in New Zealand.

Once you’ve completed signup here, you will be sent a handheld scanner in the mail. The information you enter is transmitted weekly.

Then your account is credited with points which you can use to redeem a range of items from a catalogue including electronics, gift cards, toys and household items.

5. Start a Service business

Offering a service from home is the simplest way to get started making money online.

You could use the skills you’ve acquired throughout your professional life to build a repertoire of offerings such as appointment making, proposal writing, procurement, travel bookings, personal shopper.

If you are prepared to work away from the computer you could use your skills to do the cleaning, ironing and other tasks for customers. Here’s a handy list of home business ideas to get you started.

6. Become a Freelance Writer

Can you string a sentence together? If so, freelance writing is an excellent way to work from home, NZ and overseas businesses always need content for websites, memos, press releases and more.

Freelance writing was how I got my start working online from New Zealand. I used Upwork to build a profile and wrote for publications in Australia and the U.S.

It was a little difficult writing in American English but the money was worth the effort.

7. Data entry

If you have experience and can type quickly and accurately, data entry jobs from home could be just what you’re looking for. Check out Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer.com as well as Trademe and Seek.

8. Customer service

CSR’s (Customer Service Representatives) are the most commonly occurring jobs under Seek’s Work From Home listings.

If you’ve got experience, working from home as a CSR is one of the simplest transitions to make as most employers will provide you with the full setup from home.

9. Test websites and provide feedback

You can earn money from home in NZ by testing other people’s website. You’ll earn $10USD per 20-minute test.

You’ll need a good internet connection and very clear spoken English. User testers provide valuable feedback to website owners about website navigation and use. Click here to read more about becoming a user tester.

10. Become a Virtual Assistant

If you have experience as a personal assistant, executive assistant or in general office administration, starting a virtual assistant business from New Zealand could be your most profitable route.

11. Proofreading

Proofreading is becoming a more popular way to make money from home.

If you have an excellent eye for detail, becoming a proofreader is a business you can do from anywhere.

12. Review music

Love music? Record companies and indie publishers appreciate feedback before going to market with new music. Check out slice the pie to be rewarded for sharing your opinions on new music before it hits the charts.

13. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate Marketing is when you promote a product on a website or social media and receive a commission on any sales made from your referral.

It can be a lucrative business to make money through internet marketing but you’ll need to grow an audience of potential purchasers first, which means affiliate marketing is a long game.

Affiliate marketing is how I started to make money from my blog and now makes up over 60% of my online income, which is great as affiliate marketing can be true passive income.

14. Blogging

Blogging is how I make the bulk of my income online. I run my blog as a business now, but for many years it was just a hobby.

If you have a special interest in a particular topic, blogging can be a great way to get started making money online.

Blogging income comes from many different sources including sponsorships, affiliate marketing, advertising income, course sales and more.

15. Teach English online

Teaching English online is a relatively new field for Kiwis. That’s because a lot of countries prefer American English speakers, but a new company called SayABC are open to hiring Kiwis with the right experience and qualifications.

You can earn up to $21USD per 40-minute lesson and work as much as suits you.

During the week, lessons are mainly at night (starting 6 pm Beijing time – 11 pm New Zealand time!). On the weekends they are all day long so you can really make a lot of extra cash on top of your Monday-Friday gig if you hustle hard.

You’ll need to be a native English speaker with a bachelor’s degree in any field and some teaching experience.

If you want to make some extra money as a mum without paying for childcare you need to think outside the box.

Finding a part-time job to fit around your lifestyle can be the perfect way to increase your income and get you out of the house.

These part-time job ideas include jobs that can be done on the weekends and also industry looking for evening staff.

You’ll be more likely to find a larger selection of part-time jobs in bigger cities than in smaller towns.

That said, you will find part-time jobs in small town NZ, you just have to be a bit savvy in your searching.

Note: If self-employment is of interest to you, check out this list of home business ideas perfect for Mums

50+ Part-Time Jobs for Mums

This list of job ideas is a culmination of my own research and suggestions/experiences from friends and family.

If you have any more to add to the list, please leave a comment below

Post officer – sort the mail for NZ Post.

Circular delivery – deliver mailers on foot

Retail – most retail outlets in New Zealand hire part-time staff

Cleaning – cleaning schools, offices and other commercial buildings in the evenings, early mornings and weekends

Gym instructor – lead classes or work reception

Personal trainer – if you have the right qualifications you can take one on one clients to fit around your schedule or run boot camp classes for groups

Fruit and veggie picking and packing – a lot of this work is seasonal

Factory hand – some factories hire part-time staff

Cinema attendant – working at a cinema usually means free movies (I worked at one for years and it was my favourite job)

After school care – many after-school programs hire part-time staff

Market researcher – you could be organising focus groups or going door to door

After hours call centre work – so many call centres have 24-hour support these days

Uber or UberEats driver/delivery

Equipment Installer – many installers work after hours as people like to be home when installations occur

Merchandiser – set up displays in supermarkets and other retail stores

Fast food restaurant – all the big chains hire part-time staff

Kitchen hand – washing dishes and keeping the kitchen in order in restaurants. I worked as a kitchen hand in a top Christchurch restaurant many years ago and still consider it the hardest job I’ve ever done.

Youth hostel work – cleaning and reception/management. Tourism never sleeps!

Orderly or Hospital Aide

Registered nurse – nursing is a highly flexible career option

English language tutor – teach English to speakers of other languages

Administration – many admin jobs are available part time

Telemarketing – both inbound and outbound

Hospitality work at events and conferences – if you have the skills and the right uniform, this can be a great way to earn extra money for mums

Customs and aviation security officers – with flights arriving and departing at all different times of the days, customs and aviation security jobs are are a great part-time job in New Zealand.

Courier – deliver parcels and packages

Support workers. Assist the elderly and others with special needs to live a full life. Usually, you work in their homes.

Swimming instructor – teaching children and adults to swim

Lifeguard – manning pools and beaches

Picking and packing – especially in the lead up to Christmas. This work involved filling orders and packing them for shipment.

First Aid instructor – run courses to help others get certified

Relief teacher at ECE centres – often on call, for both qualified and non-qualified ECE teachers.

Barista – making coffee at markets, events and in cafes.

Fundraiser – door to door and in the street

Hotel room attendant – cleaning and making up hotel rooms

Social worker – if you have the skills and experience, social work can be found as a part time job.

To find some of the above positions in your area, search for the position and job + part time + area, so for example, if I was looking for a nanny job in Christchurch, I’d search “nanny job part-time Christchurch”.

A quick way to make some extra cash is by taking paid surveys, read my top picks here.

If you’re interested in becoming a secret shopper, this article is for you.

Please note: I have not included any multi-level marketing roles here as I’m very wary of their success. All of the jobs here can be found on seek.co.nz or trademe.co.nz and pay an hourly wage.

Can you suggest any other part-time jobs which might suit mums who want to earn extra income? Share in the comments.

Being a parent and trying to juggle a job – even a part-time job – is a huge challenge. With endless commitments and unexpected tasks cropping up every day, it’s hard to find something with a flexible schedule.

By signing up to be a mystery shopper NZ parents can find the perfect side gig.

You can choose when to fit in your assignments and select the number of jobs to suit your lifestyle.

It’s a great way to bring in some extra money without the stress of conforming to the rigid hours of a regular job.

What is a mystery shopper?

Businesses are always looking for ways to improve their customer’s experiences and ensure they are providing top notch customer service.

In today’s online world, one bad review can spread rapidly and have a serious impact on your bottom line.

Mystery shoppers are everyday people who are hired – usually by a middle-man specialist company – to assess different aspects of a business and report back on their experiences, helping the company or business to improve.

Who can be a mystery shopper?

Almost anyone can be a mystery shopper, although most companies require a minimum age of 18.

Whether you’re a stay at home mum or dad, senior citizen or student, you are a candidate to be a mystery shopper.

Some agencies cater their jobs to meet your areas of interest or expertise, but generally, they’re looking for the average consumer – which is all of us!

Preferably, you’ll need your own transport to get to your mystery shopping locations, but there’s nothing to say you can’t jump on a bus to get there.

You’ll also need access to computer and reliable internet, as most of the feedback is done online.

It may also be beneficial if you have a phone with a camera, in case you need to take photographic evidence of anything.

What skills do I need to have?

Computer skills – You’ll need to have basic computer skills in order to complete online feedback and communicate with the agency you have signed up with. This won’t be anything too technical, however.

Good communication – You should be able to read, write, and speak clearly and effectively. This is essential both during your mystery shop and during the feedback process afterwards. You may be required to submit detailed written reports of your shopping experience.

A good grasp of English – Although English doesn’t have to be your first language, you will need to be able to communicate well enough to provide thorough feedback, written or verbal.

Attention and focus – Before your shop, you’ll be provided with in-depth information on the task/s required of you, which may include a detailed list of instructions and things to look for. To be an effective mystery shopper, you’ll need to memorise all this info.

Along with these skills, mystery shopping agencies are looking for the following attributes:

Reliable and conscientious

Honest

Hard working

Good observation skills

Ability to meet deadlines

Ability to follow instructions accurately

A good memory

What kind of things will I be doing?

Every assignment will vary, depending on the business and their requests.

Your job may be as straightforward as going into a shop and buying a specific product, then reporting on facets of this process, or you might be visiting to ask for details about a service.

You could be shopping, eating dinner at a restaurant, taking a tour, staying in accommodation, or making general customer enquiries.

You could be asked to evaluate the cleanliness of a store or the orderliness of product displays or give feedback on the staff you interact with.

Some businesses merely want you to visit competitors and find out how much they charge for various products and services.

Other jobs might require you to be a bit more hands-on; for example, visiting a bank and asking about a loan.

After you have completed the job, you will generally log into your agency’s website and input your feedback online.

Some feedback may be in the form of multi-choice answers, but many require you to be as specific and detailed as possible.

How much can I make?

Payment varies depending on the scope of the work.

Similarly to online surveys, time-consuming and technical assignments will be paid more than easy jobs.

Generally, assignments start at around $20 per shop.

You may get benefits other than money, such as free meals or drinks, free accommodation or products.

Unless it’s agreed prior to the job, you will be reimbursed for any products or services that you purchase.

The number of assignments you get will vary. If you live in a remote, rural area, there may be very few jobs available.

Those living in cities tend to get a lot more options.

You don’t have to commit to a certain amount of jobs per month, and each agency has different availability and assignments.

In general, you may get between one and five assignments a month, depending on where you live.

Note that with most of these companies you are considered to be an independent contractor, not an employee.

Searching for home business ideas to free you from the rat race? Well, you’re not alone.

With advancements in technology and the digital world, it’s now easier than ever to work from home, be a freelancer, or even start your own business.

Having a home business not only lets you step off the corporate ladder, it gives you the freedom and flexibility to set your own hours to suit your lifestyle and cut down on transport time and costs – you can even claim tax back on home business expenses such as power and phone bills.

Setting up a home business is an excellent choice for parents of young children.

Instead of forking out for daycare which is barely covered by your salary, you can fit your schedule around the needs of your household, spend more time with your family, and still have a fulfilling career.

Case in point: I’m nearly making more from my blogs than I did in my corporate career and I only work 15 hours a week – from home.

Whether you desire the freedom of working online – where you can take your laptop “office” anywhere you go or want to set up a home-based business, there are virtually endless options to choose from to make your dream a reality.

Here, we take a look at some ideas to get you started.

Home Business Ideas: Digital Careers

There has been a massive boom in the popularity of the digital nomad lifestyle over the last few years, as people are able to become mobile and work on the go.

There’s no reason why you can’t be a “digital nomad” and live the laptop lifestyle from your home.

The benefits are that you can do the job anywhere – a local café, park, or beach, waiting for a doctor’s appointment or from the comfort of your own couch.

The beauty of many of these business ideas is that if you don’t already have the skills, there are countless online courses you can take to learn them, many of which are free.

Check out sites like Udemy , edX , and Udacity, for courses covering everything from Business Management and Languages to Search Engine Optimisation and Web Development – and everything in between!

The areas listed below are all increasing in popularity, so even if you start your business with only you fulfilling the tasks, there is potential for rapid growth if your business grows well – you could see yourself managing a team of people offering the services below.

Set up your own business according to your skills – by all means, if you are a graphic designer or web developer, go for it along these lines, but if you have little to no formal training, you can still create a successful business offering support skills online such as:

1. Copywriting/Editing

If you’re a natural writer with an eye for proper spelling and grammar, you can set up as a copywriter or editor – essentially, copywriters write content for a huge variety of sources, including websites, blogs, product reviews, marketing material and more.

Editors are often responsible for organizing content and making sure everything is relevant and error free.

2. Virtual Assistant

Many busy professionals are looking for VA services to help with their day to day business. You may be scheduling appointments, replying to emails, taking customer calls, writing documents, managing social media and marketing or simple data entry.

3. Transcriptionist

Literally, all you need is a computer, a fast typing speed and a good grasp of English!

Here are a few more popular ideas for starting an at home digital-based business:

Businesses in your own home

Don’t fancy spending your days stuck to a computer screen? No problem, if you have a bit of space in your home, you may be inspired by some of the following ideas.

4. Home pet-care

Love animals and have some extra outdoor space in your home? How about a doggy daycare, cattery, or pet grooming business?

New Zealand is a nation of animal lovers who get the guilts leaving their beloved fur-babies home alone and many are more than willing to pay to have them well cared for while they are at the office or on holiday.

5. Hairdressing/Stylist

If you’ve got skills involving makeup or hairdressing, transform a room in your house into an at-home salon and offer a variety of hair and/or makeup services.

This is an easy one to make portable if it suits your schedule.

6. Holistic Services

Massage, healing, reiki, yoga, natural therapies, homeopathy, herbalism, aromatherapy – all these areas of “alternative” or traditional healing are hugely popular and easy to run from your own home – or deck out a van and hit the road with your skills.

If this is something that appeals to you, invest in some professional training and convert your spare room into a haven of healing.

7. Childcare

If you’re already looking after your own littlies at home, why not considering adding a few to the bunch?

Although you’ll need to consider licenses and legal requirements, this is a fantastic option if you have the space to convert your home into a fun and friendly daycare option for infants and toddlers – if your time is limited, you can even look into after-school care options for a few hours during the week.

Consider what other skills you have or things you find enjoyable that can be turned into a business, such as:

Personal Trainer

Sewing services/Dressmaking

Cook/Baker

Cake-maker/designer

Gift basket service

Florist

Music teacher

Language tutor

Photographer

Mobile Businesses

8. Cleaning

This is an idea that requires little to no professional training. Set yourself up as a cleaner, either for homes or businesses.

Invest in the equipment and you can start off as a one-person team, working only the hours that suit you, with the potential for exponential growth.

9. Gardening and landscaping

Love being outdoors and have a bit of a green thumb?

Offer your services as a gardener or get creative with landscape design, if that’s up your alley.

You can work as little or as much as you want, starting with small jobs and expanding to a full-on team of professionals over time.

10. Event planner

Ideal for the natural-born organiser, and let’s face it, most parents are adept at juggling a dozen tasks at once, making lists and time management.

Becoming a wedding or event planner utilises all these skills and only requires research, building relationships with vendors, and marketing your business well.

Taking paid online surveys is the simplest way to make extra money online in New Zealand. I take paid online surveys whenever I have a spare moment (sure beats scrolling Facebook aimlessly!)

By joining a multitude of survey sites, it’s totally possible to earn an extra hundred dollars a month or more.

I’m a bit of a survey junkie, so I want to share this review of the top paid surveys NZ has to offer aims to save you time in deciding which of the top paid survey sites in New Zealand you should join.

Taking surveys for money is a numbers game. In order to be successful in taking online paid surveys, you need to register for more than one of the top survey sites.

Top Online Survey Sites in New Zealand

Amongst all of the surveys we’ve researched, we found that Valued Opinions NZ reviews are the most positive.

Almost all of the experiences we read about in New Zealand praised Valued Opinions as the best survey site in New Zealand due to the frequency of survey offerings and the excellent redemption options.

In the beginning, I was slightly put off by how long it took to fill in the profile information (set aside at least 30 mins to set up your profile if you plan to make money taking surveys with Valued Opinions).

It was time well-spent however, judging by the number of emails I’ve had to take surveys.

Redemption options include vouchers from Farmers, Rebel Sport, Hoyts, JB Hifi and Mighty Ape so there is something for everyone.

If you want to take online surveys for cash, you’ll need a PayPal account.

Unfortunately, I’ve not heard of any NZ surveys that pay into a bank account. Signing up for a PayPal account is free – click here and the PayPal website will open in a new tab.

Once you receive the funds you earn from taking online surveys into your PayPal account, you can transfer the funds into your bank account or keep your balance in PayPal which is a handy option if you need to make online payments.

One of the best survey websites, Opinion World NZ are a part of the large international survey brand, Opinion World. They are my top pick for Kiwi surveys that pay cash.

Owned and maintained by Survey Sampling International, Opinion World is a legit survey site in New Zealand.

Rewards include vouchers from The Warehouse, Mitre 10, Mighty Ape and an option to take a cash payment via PayPal.

Opinion World is one of the best surveys that pay cash in New Zealand so I definitely recommend you sign up to become a member.

Whilst there are other surveys that pay you money, Opinion World has been one of the most reliable for survey offerings.

As an extra bonus, all survey participants are entered into a quarterly draw with the major prize being $2000 cash.

Opinion World offers the option for you to redeem points for more entries into the quarterly prize draw, however, most people who succeed at making money from online surveys view this as an added extra.

Unless you really don’t need the extra funds, the best way to think about this is a cherry on top.

Taking a gamble on winning a prize draw isn’t worth forgoing a cash payment or a gift voucher if you’re completing surveys for money.

Toluna NZ is one of the top paid survey sites in New Zealand. Toluna offers more than just paid surveys for money.

You have the option to create polls, test products, have battles with other members and more.

You can still complete online surveys for money, but Toluna is a site where you could definitely spend some time building your profile and having some fun, rather than just scrolling Facebook (read my full Toluna review for more details).

I really like Toluna as they are well-established internationally, and the interface is great to use.

Imagine, you could get paid for surveys and other activities, and make a few bucks from your smartphone or tablet each evening. Nice!

Rewards include cash payment via PayPal and vouchers for Bunnings, Mighty Ape, The Warehouse, Farmers, iTunes or a Flexi e-gift card to be used at Dominos.

Toluna is one of the best PayPal survey sites as they offer a $10 cash option which is the lowest threshold I’ve seen in New Zealand. If you are looking for surveys that make you money which you can use to pad your budget, Toluna is a solid option.

The Panel Station is one of the best paid online survey sites in New Zealand. This is a great option if want to complete online surveys for money, as the surveys are frequent and the payment is high, in my experience.
If you want to get paid to do surveys, The Panel Station is a solid option as they allow payment with cash via Paypal or vouchers.

As far as online surveys that pay, The Panel Station is easily one of the best in New Zealand offering real surveys that pay you.

One thing to be aware of is that your account won’t be credited until the survey has closed completely, meaning there could be a delay in payment. Just keep that in mind before you sign up.

Nielsen Homescan is another option for earning money by way of scanning the barcodes of the groceries you buy.

Nielsen then uses the information submitted by their handheld scanners to track and predict trends in consumer behaviours.

Once you’ve completedsignup here, you will be sent a handheld scanner in the post.

The information you enter is transmitted weekly. Then your account is credited with points which you can use to redeem a range of items from a catalogue including electronics, gift cards, toys and household items.

This is an easy way to earn vouchers, redeem for items and win prizes in New Zealand.

TIP: Many of the companies offering New Zealand surveys online will give an option to receive an e-voucher. This means they send you an email with a link. Unfortunately, as I recently discovered at Farmers, you still need to print off the voucher. You cannot just show the cashier the voucher on your smartphone. If your strategy when taking paid surveys online is to redeem gift vouchers and you don’t have a printer at home, it might be best to request your survey rewards to be posted out to you.

Keep checking back here as I share the best online surveys NZ has to offer.

If you want to take paid surveys for vouchers or as a way of making extra income, you can’t go past Valued Opinions as a legit survey site in New Zealand.

There are many reasons I consider Valued Opinions to be the best survey site in New Zealand, so in this Valued opinions NZ review, I’m going to discuss why I prefer Valued Opinions over other survey sites and share others reviews of this kiwi survey site.

Valued Opinions NZ Review

If you’re looking to earn free gift cards, NZ participants can take surveys with Valued Opinions and start building a gift card stash today.

Valued Opinions offers surveys in New Zealand, Australia, United States and more.

How regular are their offers

I get emails almost daily with new surveys from Valued Opinions.

I have noticed that Valued Opinions send me way more emails after I’ve completed surveys, so keeping an active profile seems to be important.

How do you earn points

Just by taking surveys. Valued Opinions pay in local currency, so I get actual cash value every time I take a survey.

This is why Valued Opinions are my favourite survey site. They are transparent. No confusing points system.

Each email I receive with an invite to participate in a survey tells me how much the survey pays and how long it’ll take.

How much do they pay

In New Zealand, Valued Opinions claim to pay up to $5 per survey. The highest offer I’ve had recently was $4 for a 30-minute survey.

I usually get invites for surveys taking 10-15 minutes paying $1-$2.

How to redeem points

Redemption is simple.

In the dashboard, click over to ‘My Rewards’.

Your balance will be clearly shown at the top right of the page.

You can then select the rewards you like.

They are currently:

Farmers $20

Rebel Sport $10

Mighty Ape $20

Xbox Digital Gift Card $25

J-B Hifi $20

Subway $10

XBox live 3-month subscription $30

iTunes $20

Super Cheap Auto $20

Hoyts cinevoucher $12 (1 Adult ticket)

Unicef donation $10

To redeem your reward you will need to verify your account with a valid number for the region.

This involves entering your mobile number and being sent a validation code which you’ll then need to enter to complete redemption of your reward.

It is stated in the Valued Opinions help section that you can also validate with a landline but I’ve never done this so can’t advise how it works.

Other things to note

Valued Opinions do not pay cash. If you’re looking for Valued Opinions PayPal rewards you will be disappointed.

I don’t mind this too much as I always find a use for Farmers vouchers but if you want to take Kiwi surveys for cash you’ll need to find another survey site (my picks here).

If a survey is full Valued Opinions will usually offer you an alternative if there is one available.

What do other people think?

Valued Opinions reviews tend to be positive, especially here in New Zealand.

Most reviewers state they don’t have a problem getting paid and receiving rewards isn’t too taxing.

I think the key thing to remember when reading reviews of any survey site is to be realistic.

A lot of negative reviews stem from people saying the pay is too low to justify their time.

If I extrapolate my earnings from taking surveys it’s between $6-10 an hour which is well below the minimum wage. But this isn’t a job. I use my survey earnings to pay for gifts so I don’t have to touch our savings.

I do surveys when I’ve switched the washing machine on or sat down for a coffee. This is the time I’d usually be surfing Facebook. Which pays me nothing at all.

If you’re realistic with your expectations, taking paid surveys with Valued Opinions is an excellent side hustle.

If you’ve ever wondered how some people always seem to win competitions – today’s post is for you.

One of the best parts of blogging about making money is that people email me with all the different ideas and strategies they use to boost their income.

A few weeks back I got an email from Rae, a mother from New Zealand, who is a ‘comper’. She told me that she has been entering and winning competitions for years and she wonders why more people aren’t doing it.

I gotta admit, I’m in the ‘I’ll never win so why bother camp’ but Rae’s email has got me thinking, that’s for sure. Rae has allowed me to share some of her tips for winning comps (as the pros call them).

I’m paraphrasing most of these as I’ve done extra research, but the gist of it is from Rae.

Tips for winning competitions in New Zealand

1. Enter every competition you can

Seems obvious right?. Well, you’ve gotta be in it to win it. Raelene spends at least an hour a day searching for free online competitions and entering them. She regularly does simple online entry comps like this one to win a $300 Kmart Voucher.

These online competitions require her to enter an email address and some other basic info. She advises these types of comps can put you on a mailing list, so use a dedicated email address (one of my tips for taking surveys also – the dedicated email address is a great way to separate all your comps/survey stuff from regular life stuff)

2. Follow your favourite brands on social media

Rae says a lot of NZ competitions and giveaways are on Facebook and Instagram these days. She says these competitions are simpler to enter and therefore, more competitive, but she still enters as per point 1! She mentioned that following newer brands and smaller pages often gave better results.

Facebook rules mean brands cannot ask you to share a post in order to qualify for an entry, so by sharing when you don’t have to, you might just be reducing your chance of winning. You can read more about competition rules on Facebook here.

3. Be creative

Most people don’t bother with competitions that are difficult to enter – for example, ‘write 25 words or less on this topic – but Rae thinks those are exactly the type of competitions one should enter as most people are put off by the work required so your chances of winning are higher.

She likes to write a wee ditty or verse, in an upbeat tone that mentions the brand in a positive way. Apparently, it gets easier the more you do it (much like blog writing, I imagine).

Her reasoning is that company staff have to read through hundreds or even thousands of entries, so something that makes them laugh or smile has the best chance of standing out.

4. Enter comps even if you don’t like the prizes

Often prizes are exchangeable for a cash payment, so Rae always enters competitions, even if she doesn’t like the prizes. This is not always the case, but some

5. Spare the sob story

Some people like to share a sob story as a reason why they should win a prize, and while that’s not against any rules, Rae believes that sob stories just make people feel bad and bring down the positivity of a competition.

A good tip for sharing a sad story in order to win a competition is to frame it in a positive light – so focusing on the positive aspects of recovery from an illness or on how winning a prize would allow you to build great memories for kids after a tough year. Focus on the positive outcome that winning the prize would allow, rather than the actual sad event.

6. Bookmark your favourite sites to check regularly

Radio stations often have competitions listed on their website. Supermarkets, magazines and online stores are the same. If you use Chrome, you can bookmark your favourite competition websites to save time.

7. Use your manners

Rae and I agree on this one. Always write a thank you note or give the brand a shout out on social media if you’ve won a prize. Brands run competitions to build relationships with their readers. Rae prefers to write a thank you card, and she often receives a response – sometimes with coupons enclosed!

So there you have it, tips from an expert comper on how to win competitions. I’ve gotta say, Rae’s emails have definitely helped me look at competitions in a new light. I’m going to try my hand at a few of those 25 words or less comps and see how I go – I’ll update this post if I have any luck.

Another great way to get free stuff is by becoming a mystery shopper. Read this post to find out how to be a mystery shopper in New Zealand.

A simple and lucrative way for Kiwi mums to make some extra cash is to participate in focus groups or market research panels.

I attended paid research sessions regularly before I had kids and have recently started to take part in them again.

What is a focus group?

According to Prime Research “A focus group is an opinion-seeking panel discussion where consumers, just like you, are asked to share their thoughts on new ideas, products, policies, advertising, packaging and other topics.”

Focus groups or research panels as they are sometimes called, are more time intensive than online surveys, but they also pay a lot better.

I’ve had offers ranging from $40 for a 40-minute session right up to $180 for a 3-hour session.